Seventy-two seasons
The year, in five-day pieces
Japan divides the year into twenty-four sekki of about fifteen days, and each of those into three kō of about five. Seventy-two in all, each naming one thing the natural world is doing. The counter follows them, which is why no two weeks here are alike.
Right now at Kappou
蟋蟀在戸
きりぎりすとにあり
kirigirisu to ni ari
Crickets chirp around the door
Next · 霜始降 · First frost · Around Oct 23
All seventy-two
The sekki are astronomical — they track the sun, not the calendar — so each boundary moves by a day or so from year to year. The dates below are the usual ones.
立春
Risshun
Start of spring
- Feb 4東風解凍East wind melts the iceharukaze kōri o toku
- Feb 9黄鴬睍睆Bush warblers start singinguguisu naku
- Feb 14魚上氷Fish emerge from the iceuo kōri o izuru
雨水
Usui
Rainwater
- Feb 19土脉潤起Rain moistens the soiltsuchi no shō uruoi okoru
- Feb 23霞始靆Mist starts to lingerkasumi hajimete tanabiku
- Feb 28草木萌動Grass and trees begin to sproutsōmoku mebae izuru
啓蟄
Keichitsu
Insects awaken
- Mar 6蟄虫啓戸Hibernating insects open their doorssugomori no mushi to o hiraku
- Mar 10桃始笑First peach blossomsmomo hajimete saku
- Mar 15菜虫化蝶Caterpillars become butterfliesnamushi chō to naru
春分
Shunbun
Spring equinox
- Mar 20雀始巣Sparrows start to nestsuzume hajimete sukuu
- Mar 25桜始開First cherry blossomssakura hajimete hiraku
- Mar 30雷乃発声Distant thunderkaminari sunawachi koe o hassu
清明
Seimei
Pure and clear
- Apr 4玄鳥至Swallows returntsubame kitaru
- Apr 10鴻雁北Wild geese fly northkōgan kaeru
- Apr 15虹始見First rainbowsniji hajimete arawaru
穀雨
Kokuu
Grain rain
- Apr 19葭始生Reeds start to sproutashi hajimete shōzu
- Apr 25霜止出苗Last frost, rice seedlings growshimo yamite nae izuru
- Apr 30牡丹華Peonies bloombotan hana saku
立夏
Rikka
Start of summer
- May 5蛙始鳴Frogs start singingkawazu hajimete naku
- May 10蚯蚓出Worms surfacemimizu izuru
- May 15竹笋生Bamboo shoots sprouttakenoko shōzu
小満
Shōman
Lesser ripening
- May 20蚕起食桑Silkworms start feasting on mulberry leaveskaiko okite kuwa o hamu
- May 26紅花栄Safflowers bloom in abundancebenibana sakau
- May 31麦秋至Wheat ripens and is harvestedmugi no toki itaru
芒種
Bōshu
Grain beards and seeds
- Jun 5蟷螂生Praying mantises hatchkamakiri shōzu
- Jun 10腐草為螢Rotten grass becomes fireflieskusaretaru kusa hotaru to naru
- Jun 15梅子黄Plums turn yellowume no mi kibamu
夏至
Geshi
Summer solstice
- Jun 21乃東枯Self-heal withersnatsukarekusa karuru
- Jun 26菖蒲華Irises bloomayame hana saku
- Jul 1半夏生Crow-dipper sproutshange shōzu
小暑
Shōsho
Lesser heat
- Jul 7温風至Warm winds blowatsukaze itaru
- Jul 12蓮始開First lotus blossomshasu hajimete hiraku
- Jul 17鷹乃学習Hawks learn to flytaka sunawachi gakushū su
大暑
Taisho
Greater heat
- Jul 23桐始結花Paulownia trees produce seedskiri hajimete hana o musubu
- Jul 28土潤溽暑Earth is damp, air is humidtsuchi uruōte mushi atsushi
- Aug 2大雨時行Great rains sometimes falltaiu tokidoki furu
立秋
Risshū
Start of autumn
- Aug 8涼風至Cool winds blowsuzukaze itaru
- Aug 12寒蝉鳴Evening cicadas singhigurashi naku
- Aug 17蒙霧升降Thick fog descendsfukaki kiri matou
処暑
Shosho
Manageable heat
- Aug 23綿柎開Cotton flowers bloomwata no hanashibe hiraku
- Aug 28天地始粛Heat starts to die downtenchi hajimete samushi
- Sep 2禾乃登Rice ripenskokumono sunawachi minoru
白露
Hakuro
White dew
- Sep 8草露白Dew glistens white on grasskusa no tsuyu shiroshi
- Sep 12鶺鴒鳴Wagtails singsekirei naku
- Sep 17玄鳥去Swallows leavetsubame saru
秋分
Shūbun
Autumn equinox
- Sep 23雷乃収声Thunder ceaseskaminari sunawachi koe o osamu
- Sep 28蟄虫坏戸Insects close up their burrowsmushi kakurete to o fusagu
- Oct 3水始涸Farmers drain the fieldsmizu hajimete karuru
寒露
Kanro
Cold dew
- Oct 8鴻雁来Wild geese returnkōgan kitaru
- Oct 13菊花開Chrysanthemums bloomkiku no hana hiraku
- Oct 18蟋蟀在戸nowCrickets chirp around the doorkirigirisu to ni ari
霜降
Sōkō
Frost falls
- Oct 23霜始降First frostshimo hajimete furu
- Oct 28霎時施Light rains sometimes fallkosame tokidoki furu
- Nov 2楓蔦黄Maple leaves and ivy turn yellowmomiji tsuta kibamu
立冬
Rittō
Start of winter
- Nov 7山茶始開Camellias start to bloomtsubaki hajimete hiraku
- Nov 12地始凍Land starts to freezechi hajimete kōru
- Nov 17金盞香Daffodils bloomkinsenka saku
小雪
Shōsetsu
Lesser snow
- Nov 22虹蔵不見Rainbows hideniji kakurete miezu
- Nov 27朔風払葉North wind blows the leaves from the treeskitakaze konoha o harau
- Dec 2橘始黄Tachibana citrus leaves start to turn yellowtachibana hajimete kibamu
大雪
Taisetsu
Greater snow
- Dec 7閉塞成冬Cold sets in, winter beginssora samuku fuyu to naru
- Dec 12熊蟄穴Bears start hibernating in their denskuma ana ni komoru
- Dec 17鱖魚群Salmon gather and swim upstreamsake no uo muragaru
冬至
Tōji
Winter solstice
- Dec 22乃東生Self-heal sproutsnatsukarekusa shōzu
- Dec 27麋角解Deer shed their antlerssawashika no tsuno otsu
- Jan 1雪下出麦Wheat sprouts under the snowyuki watarite mugi nobiru
小寒
Shōkan
Lesser cold
- Jan 5芹乃栄Parsley flourishesseri sunawachi sakau
- Jan 10水泉動Springs thawshimizu atataka o fukumu
- Jan 15雉始雊Pheasants start to callkiji hajimete naku
大寒
Daikan
Greater cold
- Jan 20款冬華Butterburs budfuki no hana saku
- Jan 25水沢腹堅Ice thickens on streamssawamizu kōri tsumeru
- Jan 30鶏始乳Hens start laying eggsniwatori hajimete toya ni tsuku
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